World's tallest water slide finally open

By Astead Herndon, special to CNN

Updated 10:02 AM ET, Fri July 11, 2014

World's best water slides9 photos

Scary slides – Meet Verrückt: The world's tallest water slide is opening soon at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Its 168-foot drop will deliver what designer John Schooley calls an "extreme thrill ride." Click through the gallery to see daring slides around the world.

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World's best water slides9 photos

Aqualoop, Ixtapan de La Sal, Mexico – On the big attraction at Ixtapan Parque Acuatico, the drop that follows a fall through a trapdoor propels riders to 60 kilometers an hour -- fast enough to make it around an almost-vertical loop.

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World's best water slides9 photos

The Abyss, Fushun, China – At Bali Water Park in Fushun, China, northeast of Beijing, the Abyss's 29-meter-high, near-vertical oscillations and final, enormous bowl make it one of the world's most exciting water park attractions.

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World's best water slides9 photos

King Cobra, Belek, Turkey – King Cobra is a game-changing water slide found at Maxx Royal Belek Golf & Spa in Belek, Turkey. The double-tube ride is interactive because passengers race each other. It also incorporates special effects, such as hissing sounds.

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World's best water slides9 photos

Mammoth, Santa Claus, Indiana – As the world's first six-person water coaster, Mammoth at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana,covers more than three acres and is just less than a third of a mile long.

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World's best water slides9 photos

Super S Ride, Hong-cheon, South Korea – At Daemyung Resort in South Korea, Python is one of the world's scariest water slides, thanks to several banked twists and turns, unbelievably tight corners and a 6-meter-wide enclosed section that sends riders flying up the sides.

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World's best water slides9 photos

Aquaconda, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – At Aquaventure Waterpark in Dubai, the Aquaconda contains the world's first slide-within-a-slide, comprising an enclosed tube slide that weaves in and out of the framework of a flume-style ride.

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World's best water slides9 photos

Behemoth Bowl, Guangzhou, China – "This is the largest bowl water ride in the world with a massive 18-meter diameter," says Ruth McMahon at theme park designers ProSlide Technology Inc. "The size and shape allows passengers to speed around the perimeter and make multiple revolutions with maximum centrifugal force." The ride is part of Guangzhou's Chimelong Water Park in China.

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World's best water slides9 photos

Dawwama, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – "It's unique because it combines two iconic water rides," says Ruth McMahon at ProSlide Technology Inc. "After the first section, passengers get dropped into the world's first six-person funnel ride." The ride is part of Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi.

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Story highlights

World's tallest water slide to open in Kansas City, Kansas

It features a 168-foot plunge with top speeds of 50 miles per hour

Head designer: "It was great fun, but it was actually terrifying."

When no one wanted to build the world's tallest and fastest water slide, Jeff Henry built it himself.

So when Verrückt was completed, and it was time to test the 168-foot coaster in his Kansas City, Kansas, water park, the choice of test riders was rather easy.

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"It was terrifying," Schooley said. "It was great fun, but it was actually terrifying."

The slide finally openedto the public on Thursday, July 10, after several weeks of delays. Technical glitches forced the original May 23 opening date to be pushed back three times, a park spokesperson said.

Officially certified by Guinness World Records in May, Verrückt -- which is German for "insane" -- is 5 feet taller than the previous record holder, a water slide at a Rio de Janeiro country club.

Verrückt is precisely 168 feet 7 inches tall. To put that free fall in perspective, it's longer than a plunge at Niagara Falls.

Schooley stressed, however, that the ride is more than a single drop, calling it an "extreme thrill" without comparison.

"You have three or four experiences on the ride," he said. "There is a 3-second free fall before you get launched into a weightless situation for a few seconds, and then you come down like a roller coaster and have a long splash down."

The origins of Verrückt are as extreme as the ride itself.

According to Schooley, owner Henry was at a trade show and simply decided he wanted to build the tallest, fastest water slide at one of his five Schlitterbahn water parks. He immediately shopped the idea to vendors, who declined, but he refused to be denied.

"He decided to build it himself," Schooley said.

"We have long experience in building water park rides and developing new technology. Our park in Kansas City doesn't have a height restriction so we decided to put it right here."

Officials say top speeds on Verrückt will reach 40-50 miles per hour, slightly slower than originally anticipated. The ride's rafts have also been scaled back from four-person rafts to three-person rafts.

"We always ride our rides first," Schooley said. "And we found out it was too steep and too short. So we were able to redesign it from what we learned. We tore down two-thirds of the slide and rebuilt it into the design we have now."

"It would have been relatively easy to do (just one drop) a long run-out, but to shoot you back over another hill was extremely challenging," Schooley said.

Schiltterbahn is already home to the Master Blaster, an uphill water coaster over 1,000 feet in length.

Verrückt combines that uphill excitement with the thrills of a true water slide.

If you're brave, hop on the raft and take the plunge.

Schooley is confident the new ride will attract thrill seekers from across the world.

"We have multiple volunteers to be the first to ride it," he said. "Roller coaster enthusiasts will have to try it ... it has a great potential draw."